1873.] SURGEON F. DAY ON NEW INDIAN FISHES. 705 



ClRRHITICHTHVS BLEEKERI, Sp. 110V. 



Shun-gun, Tarn. 



D. [§. P. 8 + viii. V. f A. §. L. 1. 45-46. L. tr. J, 



Length of head about \, of caudal T 2 T> height of body 1 of the 

 total length. Eyes, diameter \ of length of head, f of a diameter 

 from the end of snout and apart. Snout pointed, whilst the length 

 of the maxillary bone equals 1^ diameter of the orbit. Preopercle 

 very coarsely denticulated. Teeth, a transverse patch on the vomer, 

 and in a narrow band on the palatines. The largest tooth in the 

 lower jaw is a posterior recurved canine ; whilst the external row is 

 the largest in the maxilla. Fins : the sixth dorsal spine is the longest ; 

 first dorsal ray elongated : the longest of the seven free rays of the 

 pectoral fin is the second, which reaches to above the anal spines ; 

 the second of these last is the longest and strongest ; the ventral 

 fin reaches the vent ; caudal emarginate. Colours rosy, with a 

 large ill-defined blotch below the soft dorsal, extending half the way 

 down the side ; a small black dot behind the upper edge of the 

 preopercle ; dorsal, caudal, and anal fins all more or less banded ; 

 soft dorsal darker than its spinous portion. 



Hab. Madras, where I obtained two specimens, and a third exists 

 in the Museum. All are about 4 inches in length. 



This species appears to be very similar to Cirrhites punctatus, 

 Cuv. & Val., which species, however, has no palatine teeth. In 

 volume iii. of the ' Histoire Maturelle des Poissons,' p. 67, it is ob- 

 served of the genus Cirrhites, " Leur vomer porte des dents en 

 velours, mais il n'y en a point a leurs palatins," whilst Cirrhites 

 punctatus forms the second species of the genus (p. 70). 



As I have some observations to make upon the mode of hatching 

 the ova in the genera Arius and Osteogeniosus, it will be necessary 

 to mention that the Mao-ones gulio, Ham. Buch., was in full breed- 

 ing condition in April. At this period fishes of the two former genera 

 were also breeding ; but although they apparently selected much the 

 same localities, the process differed very considerably. The M. gulio 

 breeds within tidal influence ; but its eggs are small, and laid in large 

 numbers at one time, as in the other species of the same genus 

 which breed in the fresh waters. 



On my arrival at Mangalore, Mr. Thomas showed me some eggs 

 of siluroid fishes, averaging about | an inch in diameter, and in- 

 formed me that they had been obtained out of the mouths of livino- 

 ones. Wishing to ascertaiu how long incubation, if I may use the 

 term, lasted, he placed some of the adults in a suitable place by the 

 edge of the estuary. Unfortunately some natives became aware of 

 the experiment and" carried off the fish. 



When fishing at Cassegode, upwards of a hundred specimens of 

 various species of Arius and of Osteogeniosus militaris were cap- 

 tured. Amongst the specimens were siluroid eggs in the bottom of 

 the boats and in the fish-baskets; these averaged k an inch in 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1873, No. XLV. 45 



